How Dangerous Is The K-E Diet?

By on June 13, 2012
is the ke diet dangerous

Crash dieting among brides-to-be has taken a controversial approach that involves inserting a feeding tube into their noses that runs to their stomachs, and feeding a constant slow drip of protein and fat, both mixed in water, for up to 10 days in order to shed up to 20 lbs. But critics believe that the feeding tube diet could cause long-term damage to health.

The K-E Diet and its Potential Dangers

The rising K-E Diet trend promises shedding 20 lbs. in 10 days, and is increasingly becoming a popular alternative to ordinary calorie-counting programs. The protein, fat, and water solution being fed into the dieter’s stomach contains zero carbohydrates and totals 800 calories a day. According to Florida-based Dr. Oliver Di Pietro who created the diet, body fat is burned off through a process called ketosis, which leaves muscle intact. He also said that the K-E Diet is a hunger-free effective way of dieting. Within a few hours the dieter’s hunger and appetite go away completely, so they are actually not hungry for the whole 10-day program.

Nutritionist Suzy Weems from Baylor University,  however, said that the methods involved in this nose drip diet have the potential to cause infections and irritation. According to Weems, crash dieting in this way seems to be illogical for one fairy tale day when most brides have plenty of time before their weddings to lose weight in a healthy way. The nutritionist also mentioned that the long-term solution to maintain a good weight is to eat right and exercise regularly.

ABC 20/20 Special On The K-E Diet

From the Perspective of a Bride-to-Be

For most brides, slipping into their wedding gown for a dream wedding is a moment of truth, but many also say that their real fear is not being able to fit right into it. One June bride in particular, Jessica Schnaider, said she felt her wedding approaching as well as 10 lbs. she thinks she couldn’t lose. Schnaider admitted she was desperate for a quick fix.

Schnaider said she didn’t have the time to focus an hour and a half a day to exercise, so she went to Di Pietro after seeing the diet and decided to give it a shot.

Other brides-to-be are known to procrastinate with their weight loss, from joining fitness programs to going on detoxifying cleanses, the latter of which usually make misleading claims, according to Dr. David Gorski of Wayne State University in Detroit. If a weight loss program never tells its clients any scientific study to back it up, then it’s obviously suspicious.

A Dangerous Novelty that Brides-to-be are Willing to Try

According to Dr. Scott Shikora, director of the Center for Metabolic Health and Bariatric Surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hostpital in Boston,  the novelty of the diet is that they shove a tube in the dieter’s nose. It doesn’t matter if it’s through a tube, a straw, or a meal plan. All three work, if someone goes from 3,000 calories a day to 800.

A 2007 Cornell University study, led by Lori Neighbors of the Department of Human Movement Sciences and her then mentor, Jeffery Sobal of the Division of Nutritional Sciences, found that 70 percent of 272 engaged women said they wanted to lose weight, typically 20 pounds. The study also found that more than one-third of these women use such extreme measures as diet pills, fasting, or skipping meals to achieve their desired wedding day weight.

Weight always Important for Brides-to-be

While Schnaider said she was never hungry throughout the 10 days she was on the diet, she admits that it still wasn’t easy. For Schnaider, it was emotionally difficult, and she had to give excuses to people who were asking if she was sick. While Di Pietro did tell her to complement the diet with walking for a half hour on the beach, Schnaider said she was too tired during those 10 days, even though she’s generally a very energetic person.

Even though Di Pietro warned of side effects including bad breath and constipation, this doesn’t stop brides-to-be from resorting to the K-E diet. Neighbors said that most women engaged-to-be-married idealize a wedding weight much lighter than their current weight, and an upcoming wedding may lead more women to engage in weight-management efforts than they otherwise would.

About Sara

Sara is head writer and editor for TimeForTheNewYou.com. She's a health enthusiast and has been writing about health and weight loss related issues for more than 4 years. She's also the mother of a beautiful boy named Sam.

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